Ask Mr Sanders


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Ask Mr Sanders

Hi, I am Mr Sanders and I would love to answer any questions you may have about wood floor restoration or maintenance.

  • Stuart B

    London, 2024

    Can you install reclaimed parquet blocks in my house?

    Hello,

    A friend of mine recently offered to give me his reclaimed parquet flooring blocks which he replaced for solid wood and no longer needs. Some a damaged, but most of them are in a relatively good condition. They have black resin so I am not sure if they can be re-used?

    Flooring Expert
    Mr Sanders
    London, 2024

    Installation of reclaimed parquet blocks, particularly ones that have been previously installed using black resin are very difficult to re-use and re-install. They also need a fair amount of parquet blocks restoration and preparation work to be done to clean them and prepare them before they can be re-fitted. This makes the whole process very time consuming and hence very expensive.

    Therefore, you might be better off buying and getting new parquet flooring installed.

    Also, bear in mind that installation of reclaimed parquet flooring may not result in the same smooth and uniform appearance, which you get with new parquet blocks.

    Therefore, while we can install reclaimed parquet flooring, we would strongly advise you to first consider the option of having new parquet blocks, which may be cheaper and better option.

  • Chris K

    Ascot, 2024

    Can I use reclaimed parquet blocks for fireplace replacement?

    I have a fireplace hearth in my room, which I need to remove and replace with parquet blocks matching the flooring in the rest of the room. I have some reclaimed blocks, but they have bitumen on the back. Once fitted, I want the whole floor sanded and re-varnished. Is this something you can do for me?

    Flooring Expert
    Mr Sanders
    London, 2024

    Hi and thank you for contacting us regarding parquet flooring restoration. Fireplace removal and extension with reclaimed parquet blocks is definitely something we can help with. This is a regular service that often goes with our floor restoration services. However, you mention that you would like to use your reclaimed parquet blocks, which have bitumen on the back. Bear in mind that it is often very difficult to remove the bitumen, so we might need to supply some additional reclaimed parquet blocks, matching the size of your flooring and use them instead. After the floor extension, a complete sanding and re-varnishing will provide a beautiful and new look to your parquet flooring.

  • C Broody

    Watford, 2022

    What can go wrong with DIY floor sanding?

    I have some parquet flooring, which I have decided to sand and varnsh myself. However, I have seen that sometimes blobs appear on some wooden floors, so I would appreciate it if you could advise on how to avoid this. Many thanks

    Flooring Expert
    Mr Sanders
    London, 2022

    Hi,

    Restoring your floor can be challenging without prior sanding experience and knowledge. Floor sanding requires specific skills that are typically gained through experience. Therefore, it's advisable to leave parquet floor sanding to professionals like FloorWorks, who have expertise in handling various flooring types and can prevent costly mistakes.

    If you decide to proceed on your own, research parquet floor sanding thoroughly. Key points to consider include the correct technique for applying the wood floor finish. After sanding the floors to a smooth finish, apply the first coat of varnish carefully, ensuring it dries fully before applying subsequent coats. Imperfections like blobs can occur if the surface isn't perfectly smooth and clean or if the old sealant isn't completely removed, necessitating an expensive re-sanding and re-varnishing.

    Additionally, note that if your parquet flooring has been sanded before, there might be limited chances for re-sanding, possibly requiring a complete floor replacement.

    Therefore, it is always recommended to leave the parquet floor sanding to a professional sanding company like Floorworks™ Sanding Co.

  • N Parker

    Surrey, 2015

    Can you repair parquet flooring if blocks are missing?

    Hello,

    My parquet flooring is in a need of restoration, but a fair bit of the area would also need repair as some of the parquet blocks are badly damaged. I have sourced some reclaimed parquet blocks, which look similar to my flooring, but they have black bitumen so I am not sure if they can be re-used?

    Flooring Expert
    Mr Sanders
    London, 2015

    Hi and thank you for contacting us regarding parquet floor restoration and repair.

    We regularly restore and repair parquet flooring where blocks are missing or damaged. In such cases we always try to source reclaimed or new parquet blocks which match the size of the existing flooring. If the parquet blocks that you have sourced have bitumen residue, however, we would not recommend their use simply because removing the bitumen is a very difficult and time consuming thing to do, which makes the whole process of parquet floor restoration very expensive. Therefore, we would advise you to use new parquet flooring instead or to contact a professional parquet floor restoration company like Floorworks™ to do this for you.

  • S Ridge

    Romford, 2014

    Can you remove fireplace hearth & extend my parquet flooring?

    My parquet flooring needs sanding and varnishing, but in one of the rooms I have a fireplace which I want to remove and replace with similar parquet blocks. Can this be done?

    Flooring Expert
    Mr Sanders
    London, 2014

    Hi and thank you for your question regarding parquet flooring restoration and fireplace heart removal.

    We can certainly help with the removal of your fireplace and the extension of your parquet floor using matching parquet blocks. After the fireplace hearth is removed, we will restitch the parquet flooring. Once sanded and revarnished, the floors will have a uniform appearance, making it look as if the fireplace was never there.